Separated at birth

[doodab]

Every time I have to deal with the UK tax system I wish I was still in Germany.

[Old Greg]

Every time I have to deal with the UK tax system I wish I was still in Germany.

Wouldn't it be more efficient to wish that the U.K. had the German tax system?

[doodab]

Wouldn't it be more efficient to wish that the U.K. had the German tax system?

I suspect that HMRC would just bash all their existing forms through google translate and then chip off at 2 for a nice boozy lunch.

[Old Greg]

I suspect that HMRC would just bash all their existing forms through google translate and then chip off at 2 for a nice boozy lunch.

In which case you should wish you had a contract there.

[Arturo Bassick]

Funny that because I would rather deal with UK tax but have to deal with the Germans.
I don't speak enough German to understand the system and getting any sensible translation of the rules is almost impossible. Even if I did speak German, many of my German friends tell me the language used in the tax laws is difficult for them to understand.
I am reliant on my accountant/tax advisor to give me best advice but am not convinced he does.

It is about time the EU made this kind of thing easier instead of voting what shape bananas would be or who can subsidise rail travel.

[doodab]

It is about time the EU made this kind of thing easier instead of voting what shape bananas would be or who can subsidise rail travel.

But they can't. Although I'm sure the Eurocrats would love to go down that route, one mention of the words "fiscal union" or "tax harmonisation" and everyone goes loopy.

[Arturo Bassick]

But they can't. Although I'm sure the Eurocrats would love to go down that route, one mention of the words "fiscal union" or "tax harmonisation" and everyone goes loopy.

They did try a couple of years ago with a very sensible solution.
Someone suggested giving itinerant workers the choice of using their own home tax or the tax of their new hosts.
When some of the bigger players realised that there were more outsiders likely to use their own home tax systems they sneakily squashed it by supporting it with additions. Germany and France and others added that this was a good idea and should be applied to all regulation. INSTANT HALT.